Compiled by B. Wayne Blanchard, Dec 2019, for website: Deadliest American Disasters and Large-Loss-Of-Life Events. https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–27,058 U.S. Census Office. Compendium of the Eleventh Census, 1890, Part II, 1894, p. 7.^[1]

–27,058 U.S. Census Office. U.S. Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. 1894, p. 16.

Summary of State Breakouts

Alabama ( 874) Oklahoma ( 10)

Arizona ( 15) Oregon ( 152)

Arkansas ( 590) Pennsylvania (2,836) Philadelphia (770)

California ( 479) Rhode Island ( 150)

Colorado ( 418) South Carolina ( 551)

Connecticut ( 331) South Dakota ( 138)

Delaware ( 102) Tennessee (1,083)

District of Columbia ( 200) Texas (1,072)

Florida ( 163) Utah ( 95)

Georgia (1,000) Vermont ( 124)

Idaho ( 46) Virginia ( 757)

Illinois (1,700) Washington ( 232)

Indiana (1,155) West Virginia ( 429)

Indian Territory ( 6) Wisconsin ( 352)

Iowa ( 366) Wyoming ( 27)

Kansas ( 375)

Kentucky (1,046)

Louisiana ( 319)

Maine ( 305)

Maryland ( 517) Especially Baltimore (247)

Massachusetts ( 817)

Michigan ( 686)

Minnesota ( 489)

Mississippi ( 521)

Missouri (1,072)

Montana ( 51)

Nebraska ( 340)

Nevada ( 8)

New Hampshire ( 140)

New Jersey ( 684)

New Mexico ( 50)

New York (1,715) Especially New York City/348 & Brooklyn/194 (542)

North Carolina ( 920)

North Dakota ( 81)

Ohio (1,587)

Breakout of 1889-1890 Typhoid Fever Deaths by State (and locality where noted):

Alabama ( 874) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 26.

Arizona ( 15) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 34.

Arkansas ( 590) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 42.

California ( 479) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 50.

Colorado ( 418) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 58.

Connecticut ( 331) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 66.

Delaware ( 102) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 74.

District of Columbia ( 200) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 82.

— 208 U.S. Marine Hospital Service. Abstract of Sanitary Rpts., V.IX, N42, 19 Oct 1894, 936.

Florida ( 163) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 90.

Georgia (1,000) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 98.

Idaho ( 46) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 106.

Illinois, (1,700) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 114.

–793 Chicago. US Census. Report on Vital…Statistics…Census: 1890. Part II. 1896, p. 78.^[2]

Indiana (1,074-1,155) (We use 1,155 number from IN State Health Board in tally.)

–1,155 State. Indiana State Board of Health. Twelfth Annual Report. 1894, 302.^[3]

–1,074 State. Indiana State Board of Health. Twelfth Annual Report. 1894, 302.^[4]

–1,074 State. US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 122.

Indian Territory ( 6) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 130.

Iowa ( 366) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 138.

Kansas ( 375) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 146.

Kentucky (1,046) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 154.

–122 Louisville. US Census. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p78.^[5]

Louisiana ( 319) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 162.

Maine ( 305) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 170.

Maryland ( 517) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 178.

–247 Baltimore. Ford. “The Problem of Typhoid…Baltimore.” JHH Bul., 22/248, 1911, 351.^[6]

Massachusetts ( 817) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 186.

–174 Boston. US Census Office. Vital Statistics of Boston…May 31, 1890. 1895, 41^[7]

Michigan ( 686) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 194.

–304 Mich. Dept. of Health. “Typhoid Fever in Michigan…1890.” Rept. of Sec., 1891. P. 209.

Minnesota ( 489) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 202.

— 93 Minneapolis. US Census. Report on Vital…Statistics…[US]…1890. Part II. 1896, 78.^[8]

— 91 St. Paul. US Census Of. Report on Vital…Statistics…[US]…1890. Part II. 1896, p.78.^[9]

Mississippi ( 521) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 210.

Missouri (1,072) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 218.

–277 St. Louis. US Supreme Court. State of Missouri vs. State of Illinois…Alvord… 1904, 7.

Montana ( 51) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 226.

Nebraska ( 340) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 234.

— 63 Omaha. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p. 78.^[10]

Nevada ( 8) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 242.

New Hampshire ( 140) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 250.

New Jersey ( 684) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 258.

— 134 Jersey City. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p. 78.^[11]

— 180 Newark. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p. 78.^[12]

New Mexico ( 50) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 266.

— 71 Weinzirl. “The Potable Waters of [NM]…” Bulletin of the…[U of NM], 3/11, 1905, 1.^[13]

New York (1,715) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 274.

— 194 Brooklyn. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p. 78.^[14]

— 80 Buffalo. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p. 78.^[15]

— 348 New York. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, 78.^[16]

— 52 Rochester. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, 78.^[17]

North Carolina ( 920) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 282.

North Dakota ( 81) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 290.

Ohio (1,587) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 298.

— 151 Cincinnati. US Census. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, 78.^[18]

— 163 Cleveland. US Census. Report on Vital…Statistics…Census: 1890. Part II. 1896, 78.^[19]

Oklahoma ( 10) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 306.

Oregon ( 152) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 314.

Pennsylvania (2,836) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 322.

–192 Allegheny. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, 78.^[20]

–770 Philadelphia. US Census. Vital Statistics of…Philadelphia…May 31, 1890. 1895, 41.^[21]

–303 Pittsburgh. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p.78.^[22]

Rhode Island ( 150) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 330.

–53 Providence. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p. 78.^[23]

South Carolina ( 551) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 338.

–54 Charleston. US Census. Compendium…Eleventh Census: 1890, Part II…. 1894, 8.^[24]

South Dakota ( 138) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 346.

Tennessee (1,083) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 354.

Texas (1,072) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 362.

Utah ( 95) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 370.

Vermont ( 124) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 378.

Virginia ( 757) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 386.

— 52 Richmond. US Census. Compendium…Eleventh Census: 1890, Part II…. 1894, p. 8.^[25]

Washington ( 232) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 394.

West Virginia ( 429) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 402.

Wisconsin ( 352) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 410.

–60 Milwaukee. US Census Office. Report on Vital…Statistics…1890. Part II. 1896, p.78.^[26]

Wyoming ( 27) US Census 1890, Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Table 5, p. 418.

On Typhoid Fever:

CDC: “Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever are life-threatening illnesses caused by Salmonella serotype Typhi and Salmonella serotype Paratyphi, respectively. Most people in the United States with typhoid fever or paratyphoid fever become infected while traveling abroad, most often to countries where these diseases are common….” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Typhoid Fever and Paratyphoid Fever. Page last reviewed 8-22-2018.)

State of NY Department of Health: “Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection of the intestinal tract (bowels/gut) and occasionally the bloodstream caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacteria. This strain of bacteria lives only in humans….People with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract (bowels/gut). In addition, a small number of people, called carriers, recover from typhoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed Salmonella Typhi in their feces (poop). You can get typhoid fever if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding Salmonella Typhi or if sewage contaminated with Salmonella Typhi bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food. Therefore, typhoid fever is more common in areas of the world where hand-washing is less frequent and water is more likely to be contaminated with sewage….

“Symptoms may be mild or severe and may include fever, headache, constipation or diarrhea (loose stool/poop), rose-colored spots on the trunk of the body, and an enlarged spleen and liver. It is common for symptoms to go away and then appear again. Death occurs in less than 1 percent of those who get antibiotic treatment. Symptoms generally appear one to two weeks after exposure to the bacteria….

“Typhoid fever is treated with antibiotics. Resistance to multiple antibiotics is increasing among the Salmonella bacteria that cause typhoid fever, complicating treatment of infections. People who do not get treatment may continue to have fever for weeks or months, and as many as 20% may die from complications of the infection.

“Most infected people may return to work or school when they have recovered, if they carefully wash hands after using the toilet. Children in daycare and health care workers must obtain the approval of the local or state health department before returning to their routine activities. Food handlers may not return to work until three consecutive negative stool cultures are confirmed….

“People can be reinfected if they come into contact with the bacteria again….

“A vaccine is available for people traveling to developing countries where significant exposure may occur. For more information about vaccination, speak to your health care provider. It is equally important to pay strict attention to food and water precautions while traveling to countries where typhoid is common. When drinking water in a developing country, you should buy it in a sealed bottle, boil it, or chemically treat it. When eating foods, avoid raw fruits and vegetables that cannot be peeled and washed, undercooked foods, and foods from street vendors. Additionally, food handlers may not work while sick with typhoid.” (New York State Department of Health. “Typhoid Fever,” Sep 2017 last review.)

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Typhoid Fever and Paratyphoid Fever. Page last reviewed 8-22-2018. Accessed 8-7-2019 at: https://www.cdc.gov/typhoid-fever/index.html )

Ford, William W. and E. M. Watson. “The Problem of Typhoid Fever in Baltimore.” Pp. 351-356 in Bulletin of The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Vo. 22, No. 248, Oct 1911). Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=zGtNAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=true

Indiana State Board of Health. Twelfth Annual Report of the State Board of Health of Indiana for the Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 1893. Indianapolis: W. B. Burford, 1894. Google digitized: http://books.google.com/books?id=xpY4AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Maryland State Department of Health. Annual Report of the State Department of Health of Maryland for the Year Ending December 31, 1911. Baltimore: Geo. W. King Printing Co., 1913. Google digitized: http://books.google.com/books?id=mmQiAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Michigan Department of Health. “Typhoid Fever in Michigan During The Year Ending December 31, 1890.” Annual Report of the Secretary, 1891. Pp. 209-233. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=i46XzxzB72kC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Michigan Department of State. “Mortality in Michigan from Typhoid Fever, 1898-1903.” Michigan Monthly Bulletin of Vital Statistics, Vol. VI, No. 9, September, 1903, p. 71. Google digitized: http://books.google.com/books?id=ysFBAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=typhoid&f=false

New York State Department of Health. “Typhoid Fever,” Sep 2017 last review. Accessed 6-26-2018 at: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/typhoid_fever/fact_sheet.htm )

United States Census Office, Department of Interior. Compendium of the Eleventh Census: 1890, Part II: Vital and Social Statistics…. Washington: GPO, 1894. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=T8frAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

United States Census Office, Department of Interior. Report on Vital and Social Statistics in the United States at the Eleventh Census: 1890. Part I. – Analysis and Rate Tables. Washington: GPO, 1896. Google digitized: http://books.google.com/books?id=X1gUAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

United States Census Office, Department of Interior. Report on Vital and Social Statistics in the United States at the Eleventh Census: 1890. Part II. – Vital Statistics. Cities of 100,000 Population and Upward. Washington, DC: GPO, 1896. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=6PVYAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

United States Census Office, Department of Interior. Report on Vital and Social Statistics in the United States at the Eleventh Census: 1890. Part III. – Statistics of Deaths. Washington, DC: GPO, 1894. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=YfZYAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

United States Census Office, Department of Interior, Report on Vital and Social Statistics in the United States at the Eleventh Census: 1890. Part IV. – Statistics of Deaths. Washington, DC: GPO, 1895. At: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsushistorical/vsush_1890_4.pdf

United States Census Office, Department of Interior, Vital Statistics of Boston and Philadelphia Covering a Period of Six Years Ending May 31, 1890. Washington, DC: GPO, 1895. Google digitized: http://books.google.com/books?id=M47OXUYqriwC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

United States Censuses of Population and Housing. Table 1 – United States Resident Population by State: 1860-1920. http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/lpa/census/1990/poptrd1.htm

United States Marine Hospital Service, Treasury Department. “Report on typhoid fever in the District of Columbia.” Abstract of Sanitary Reports, Vol. IX, No. 42, Washington, DC, 10-19-1894. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=DCw9AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Abstract+of+Sanitary+Reports&cd=2#v=onepage&q&f=false

United States Supreme Court. State of Missouri vs. State of Illinois and the Sanitary District of Chicago. Testimony of John W. Alvord, Sanitary and Hydraulic Engineer of Chicago, Ill., Taken Before Hon. F. S. Bright, Commissioner, At the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, May 25^th and 26^th 1904. Jefferson City: Tribune Printing Co., 1904. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=kKJBAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Weinzirl, John. “The Potable Waters of New Mexico: With Special Reference to the City Water Supply.” Bulletin of the Hadley Climatological Laboratory of the University of New Mexico, Vol. III, No. 11. Albuquerque, NM: Press of the Morning Journal, June 1905, 28 pages starting at p. 87. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=LBxLAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Willcox, W. F. (Cornell Univ.). “Typhoid Fever in New York State in 1898.” Medical Review of Reviews, Vol. 5, No. 5, 5-25-1899, pp. 376-377. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=ayKgAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Wisconsin State Board of Health. Fourteenth Report of the State Board of Health of Wisconsin, 1891-1892. “Typhoid Fever.” Madison, WI: Democrat Printing Co., 1893, pp. 43-44. Google digitized: http://books.google.com/books?id=kuoaAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

[1] This figure reflects 48 states, the District of Columbia and “Indian territory.”

[2] Our calculation based on Census data of 72.19 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 1,099,850.

[3] “The number of deaths attributed to the principal causes during the census year were as follows: Consumption, 3,504; pneumonia, 1,701; diarrheal diseases, 1,823…; typhoid fever, 1,155…”

[4] “During the year ending May 31, 1890 typhoid fever is reported as causing 1,074 deaths, or 45.9 deaths out of every 1,000 deaths… The true number of deaths from typhoid fever was undoubtedly much larger than this.”

[5] Our calculation based on Census data of 75.72 typhoid deaths per 100,000 population and 1890 pop. of 161,129.

[6] Ford, William W. and E. M. Watson. “The Problem of Typhoid Fever in Baltimore.” Pp. 351-356 in Bulletin of The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Vol. 22, No. 248, Oct 1911).

[7] “During the census year it [typhoid] caused 174 deaths, or 38.80 deaths per 100,000 of population.” (US Census Office. Vital Statistics of Boston and Philadelphia Covering a Period of Six Years Ending May 31, 1890.)

[8] Our calculation based on Census data of 57.06 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 164,738.

[9] Our calculation based on Census data of 69.09 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 133,156.

[10] Our calculation based on Census data of 44.86 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 140,452.

[11] Our calculation based on Census data of 82.21 typhoid deaths per 100,000 population and 1890 pop of 163,003.

[12] Our calculation based on Census data of 99.54 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 181,830.

[13] “The census of 1890 gives a mortality of 46.3 per 1000,000 of population…” According to 1890 census Part I, p. 3, the NM population in 1890 was 153,593.

[14] Our calculation based on Census data of 24.06 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 806,343.

[15] Our calculation based on Census data of 31.29 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 255,664.

[16] Our calculation based on Census data of 22.97 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 1,515,301.

[17] Our calculation based on Census data of 39.58 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 133,896.

[18] Our calculation based on Census data of 50.86 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 296,908.

[19] Our calculation based on Census data of 62.75 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 pop. of 261,353.

[20] Our calculation; Census data of 182,36 typhoid deaths per 100,000 pop., and 1890 population of 105,287.

[21] “…the death rates due to this cause were much greater [than Boston], 4,061 deaths occurring during the 6-year period, or 69.35 per 100,000 of mean population, and 770 deaths during the census year, or 73.55 per 100,000…”

[22] Our calculation based on Census data of 127.40 typhoid deaths per 100,000 population, and 1890 pop of 238,617.

[23] Our calculation based on Census data of 40.11 typhoid deaths per 100,000 population, and 1890 pop. of 132,146.

[24] Our calculation; death rate of 23.95 per 1000 deaths (Census Compend.), 2,268 total deaths (Census Part I, 1035).

[25] Our calculation; death rate 21.75 per 1000 deaths (Census Compend., 8), 2411 total deaths (Census Part I, 1046).

[26] Our calculation based on Census data of 29.83 typhoid deaths per 100,000 population, and 1890 pop. of 204,468.

1889-90 – June-May, Typhoid (Enteric) Fever, esp. PA, 2.8K, NY/1.7K, IL/1.7K, OH–27,058